Nine years ago – Laura, Mum, Emma.

We set off for Clapham Common ready to do our bit. The big pink tent was inviting, and on stage they were warming us all up with easy stretches, then came the call “1st walkers ready to go”. Having been doing this for 10 years you would think this was easy, but no. They have six waves going off to walk, but send them out starting with wave 6. A lot of confused waver 1s went to the start and were sent back. Once explained it was simple. Laura had said we would walk in 6 hours so we were put in wave 4 and we were the third wave off. (Got that logic).

The start was good and off we set at 11:55pm on 10 May (my mum’s birthday) and we were away. The first mile went by very quick, we were Walking the Walk, helping and raising money for breast cancer, all jolly and good. Mile 2 went ok and then STOP……. We were held at the gates of Battersea Park just as we were going to turn to go over Battersea Bridge, we stood there for 30 minutes and could see the bridge in front of us full of walkers waiting to go, slowly they moved and then we started, but it was another 15 minutes before we were off the bridge, all due to the traffic light crossing at the end of the bridge. So just over 2 miles in 1 hour 30 mins, not good on a cold night in your bra.

We continued walking again, but around 10 miles I twisted my right knee, and started to fall behind Emma. I had to make a decision: carry on and fall even further behind, carry on and hurt/damage my knee even more, walk to the 13 miles, call for help.

I chose to walk the 13 miles, as just after 10 miles the Half Mooners leave the Full Mooners and go their separate ways. I chose this route, and left Emma to go the full course on her own, but with all the Pink hats of the 26 Full Mooner’s (so not really alone). I was gutted. First for letting Emma go on without me, for letting Laura down and most of all letting myself down. As I crossed the road, and saw Emma’s pretty fairy light head go the other way I cried, and when I saw the 11 mile marker 12 mile marker I was still crying. Was it due to my knee hurting or my pride? Those few miles back to the pink tent were the slowest and longest walk of my life, and worse to come.

I arrived back at the finish with my Pink Hat with the fairy lights on the same as Emma, and then they asked me for my number off my leg, and was I a Full or Half Mooner? I explained a Full with a twisted knee so only walked 13 hence a Half Mooner. “We cannot give you a medal, for doing a half as you signed up for a Full” What a disgrace.

I hobbled to the pink tent thinking, at least I can sit down and hold my head in shame in a corner, but the Pink tent had nowhere to sit: just the floor, no chairs for the Half Mooner’s to relax on and talk to friends about how well they have done at 5:30am on a Sunday morning in London, and tube stations and trains don’t run till later, just the hard floor of the pink tent.

I sat there and text home, Emma’s husband and Laura to say what had happened and hope they find Emma on the course, with the tea and banana bread. I later got a reply to say Emma was rescued at 20 miles and given the aforementioned tea and bread. My spirit lifted a little. I sat waiting for Emma.

Then to my rescue came Laura with the flask and my banana bread, her and her partner Phil had left Emma on the course and cycled to the pink tent. Laura had spoken to the gate and they had let her in to see me, again I cried with joy to see a face I love. The tea was great, and the banana bread wonderful. Then we went outside to wait for Emma at the finish, and at 8:35 Emma and her fairy light hat came over the finish line, and I cried again.

I have walked many miles in my 60 years, with my girls, with my family and friends, but I must say the hardest were those miles I did on my own, on that walk. I took a decision that was really hard, but you have to at some time in your walks, and what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I also learnt a lot about Laura and her running and Emma and her walking, that so long as there is a face at the end that loves you and you love nothing else matters, just your “Crew”.

We will be crewing again for Laura in June and again in October.